The Estádio Presidente Vargas, nicknamed PV, is a football stadium located in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of América Football Club (CE), Fortaleza Esporte Clube, Ceará Sporting Club, Ferroviário Atlético Clube and Associação Esportiva Tiradentes. The stadium holds 22,228 people and was built in 1941. The stadium is owned by the Fortaleza City Hall, and it is named after Brazilian president Getúlio Vargas.

The stadium was the largest stadium in Fortaleza until 1973 when the Castelão stadium was inaugurated.

History

In 1941, the works on Estádio Presidente Vargas were completed. The inaugural match was played on September 21 of that year, when Ferroviário beat Tranmways of Pernambuco 1-0. The first goal of the stadium was scored by Ferroviário's Chinês.

Inauguration

Presidente Vargas Stadium was built in 1941 and was considered a modern facility at the time. The P.V. was walled, had wooden grandstands around (also wood) separating the field from fans and the great wonder, a lawn (until then all fields in the city of strength instead of lawn that had beaten clay was wet before departure ). This stadium was officially opened on September 14 of 1941, but the first match took place a week later, on September 21 with the game Rail 1 x 0 Tramways-PE, Being the first goal of the stadium scored by Chinese coral, 20 minutes for the first time.

Increased attendance

The stadium's attendance record currently stands at 38,515, set on May 7, 1989 when Ferroviário and Ceará drew 1-1. But there are records of a paying audience of 41,099 in the game Ceará 0-1 Corinthians Brazilian Championship in 1971 but there is no confirmation that this has been the public official. Currently, due to reforms in the stadium and the strictest safety standards, the ability of PV was reduced to 22,000 spectators.

Recent structure update

From September to November 2005, the PV was banned for carrying out a series of improvements. The precarious access steps to the bleachers were demolished and replaced with ramps. There was also the reform of the changing rooms and baths, the adequacy of the system of fire prevention standards of Fire Department. Currently, the PV is closed for security reforms in view of the stadium that, according to prosecutors is structurally compromised, the forecast is to reopen in 2010.

After almost a year later, the stadium was finished and ready to receive games. Nowadays its the home stadium for Ceara squad in the Serie A. It has also the possibility of becoming a training field for national squads in the 2014 World Cup.